Tesla Model 3

Step inside the cabin of the Tesla Model 3, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the minimalism in the layout of the cabin, which looks simple yet premium and new-age. The massive credit for the futuristic appeal of the cabin goes to the 15.4-inch touchscreen in the middle of the centre console. The cabin of the Tesla Model 3 comes in an all-black theme with red accents on the door panels as standard, though for an added premium, you can also opt for the dual-tone black and white theme.

The Tesla Model 3 has a three-spoke, multi-functional steering wheel with silver accents and tilt and telescopic adjustability, behind which there is no instrument console. Instead, the 15.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system serves the purpose of both the instrument console and infotainment screen, besides having controls for the multi-zone automatic climate control, smartphone connectivity, in-built apps and various interesting functions like Dog Mode, Camp Mode and Sentry Mode.

The rest of the cabin has a few interesting bits like a dual-pad wireless charging platform below the centrally-placed screen, storage spaces between the front seats, powered and ventilated front seats, a 17-speaker audio system with subwoofer and amplifier and an additional 8-inch touchscreen, through which the rear seat passengers can control audio and climate control functions.

Tesla cars are all about futurism, and the Model 3 is a perfect epitome of it, despite having a minimalist design. The overall look of the Model 3 has a plain essence, but it doesn’t look boring at all, with the smooth curves and minimalism in its design making it appealing for those who love their cars to look futuristic.

At the front, the Tesla Model 3 has a long, swopping bonnet with sharp curves on the sides, with the bonnet flowing towards the blank fascia, which misses out on an operational grille. Instead, the Tesla Model 3 gets the Tesla logo at the bottom of the bonnet, while having a plain look for the bumper with no cuts or creases. Even the headlamps here look very sleek, and with their unique all-LED illumination, they manage to bring some character and modernity to the front profile of the Tesla Model 3.

The essence of curviness in the design of the Tesla Model 3 is very evident in the rounded roofline, window shoulder line and haunches above the front and rear fenders. While the car comes with flush-type black door handles and 18-inch Photon wheels as standard, the more premium Long Range AWD variant gets larger 19-inch Nova alloy wheels.

At the back, the Tesla Model 3 has a fastback-like appeal, with the rounded roofline flowing towards the boot in an inclined fashion. The Model 3 has an entire glass roof panel, which also includes the rear windscreen while flowing down towards the bottom of the C-pillar. While the boot has an integrated curved spoiler above it, it gets cool-looking C-shaped LED tail lamps on the sides, with wide Tesla lettering spread over the license plate housing.

Teslas are known to be easy-to-drive cars with electronically-assisted steering and suspension setups, and the Model 3 is no exception. In the Long Range AWD variant, the Model 3 also features a Sport mode for a spirited driving experience.

Introduced as a pure battery electric vehicle, the Tesla Model 3 is offered with two powertrain options – one each for the two variants on offer. The lower-spec Standard Range RWD variant has a rear-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor, which produces 279 bhp of maximum power and 450 Nm of maximum torque. The 57.5 kWh battery offered in this variant claims 471 km of range and supports DC charging up to 170 kW. The Tesla Model 3 Standard Range RWD has a top speed of 225 kmph and can do the 0-100 kmph run in 6.1 seconds.

The Long Range AWD has a dual-motor setup of an induction motor at the front and a permanent magnet synchronous motor, the combined power and torque outputs of which are rated at 346 bhp and 510 Nm respectively. It has a larger 82 kWh battery pack, which returns a range of 640 km and supports DC charging up to 250 kW. With a claimed top speed of 233 mph, the Model 3 Long Range AWD can do 0-100 kmph sprint in 4 seconds.

Besides having the presence of airbags all around, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, hill start assist and hill descent control, the Tesla Model 3 also comes with Base Autopilot mode as standard, which includes autosteer and traffic-aware cruise control. For an extra amount, one can have access to the “Enhanced Autopilot” with Navigate on autopilot, auto lane change, auto park, summon and smart summon. There is also a “full self-driving” package for autosteer on city streets and traffic lights and stop sign control.

The Tesla Model 3 has a sleek and futuristic design, which, along with potent powertrain options, autonomous driving assistance functions, and cutting-edge features in the cabin, stays true to Tesla’s philosophy of offering cars for tomorrow, despite its affordable positioning, compared to the rest of Tesla products.